This study deals with the problems users encounter in their daily work with computers and the typical practices that they employ. Sixteen daily computer users were interviewed about their habits and problems that they encountered during document classification and retrieval. For both these areas, we provide an overview of identified user practices and a citation-based analysis of the problems users encountered, including those related to the use of the screen real estate (the actual desktop). Two types of problems were identified: (1) Problems that concern the actual use of the system installed on the computer. (2) Problems that arise when people realise that they are using a system that does not allow for the desired work or organizational functions sought. We were able to show that skill continues to be an important factor with respect to the ease of using today’s systems. We suggest the following necessary improvements for the evolution of personal information systems: A storage facility that represents the user’s view of information; replacing pure technical file metadata with more user-friendly attributes; and introduction of annotations as a new information type.

This paper provides an overview of research efforts in the area of accessibility over the past decade in Europe, and follows the evolution of Research and Technological Development work from solutions based on `a posteriori' daptation to the notion of User Interfaces for All. The aim of the paper is to outline the beginning of an evolutionary path driving from reactive accessibility solutions to the requirement for Universal Access in the Information Society.

Interface developers combine interaction elements in order to implement the User Interface of interactive software applications, using the development facilities available by a given development tool. The functional capabilities of the interface tool may significantly affect the quality of the resulting interactive software product, as well as the resources needed for further maintenance, upgrade, porting and expansion. Interaction objects play a key role in interface tools, irrespective of the nature of the interface construction technique (e.g. graphical construction, programming language, declarative specification, task notation). We have identified four fundamental categories of mechanisms for manipulating interaction objects in interface tools. Their merits in the context of interface development tools are identified, particularly in the context of developments for diverse user groups and openness for different interaction technologies. We will also show that these two functional requirements play a key role towards meeting the objectives of User Interfaces for All.

Abstract. This paper discusses the contribution of adaptive techniques to Universal Access in Human^Computer Interaction.To this effect, the paper revisits the concept of Universal Access, brie£y reviews relevant work on adaptive techniques, and follows their application in efforts to provide accessibility of interactive systems, from the early, product- and environment-level adaptation-based approaches, to more generic solutions oriented towards Universal Access. Finally, the paper highlights some of the research challenges ahead. The normative perspective of the paper is that adaptive techniques in the context of Universal Access have the potential to facilitate both accessibility and high quality interaction, for the broadest possible end-user population. This implies the design of systems that undertake context-sensitive processing so as to manifest their functional core in alternative interactive embodiments suitable for different users, usage patterns and contexts of use. Such a capability needs to be built into the system from the early phases of conception and design, and subsequently validated throughout its life cycle. Key words: universal design in HCI, universal access, adaptive techniques, adaptability,